A Toledo woman says a spotted lanternfly infestation coming from a tree next door has gotten so bad that she can no longer park in her own driveway or use her backyard without dealing with the bugs and the mess they leave behind. Heather Keyes told 13 Action News she has tried almost everything to get rid of them, but the insects keep returning to the tree, a tree of heaven, that sits on the neighbouring property. After struggling to get help, she reached out to the station for support. Here’s what she’s dealing with, and how the property owner has responded so far.
Heather Keyes says the infestation traces back to a neighbouring tree of heaven
The tree at the centre of the problem isn’t Keyes’ own; it sits in the yard next door, but the spotted lanternflies living around it, along with the sticky residue they leave behind, don’t stay on that side of the property line. “I try to disturb their area, so maybe they’ll go somewhere else, but they don’t. They go right back to the tree,” Keyes told 13 Action News. Her driveway sits just inches from the infested tree, which she said constantly drips sap onto everything nearby, effectively ruining anything she places outside.
The mess spreading onto Keyes’ driveway, patio and car
Keyes said the tree has made basic use of her own property nearly impossible. “I can’t park my car back here, I can’t even sit back here. It’s just so gross with everything. Not just the bugs, but the tree just drips constantly,” she told 13 Action News. She said her car, trash cans and patio furniture have all been coated in sap from the tree, adding that whatever she puts outside, she has to accept it will likely get ruined by the ongoing mess.
Image: The Boston Globe
How long the lanternfly problem has been building next door
Keyes has lived at her home for seven years, and said the neighbouring tree was the size of a weed when she first moved in. The lanternflies became a noticeable problem about a year ago, and Keyes said she has since killed hundreds of them trying to keep the infestation under control. Her landlord has trimmed back what growth they can reach from her side of the property line, but the core of the problem remains rooted in the neighbouring tree itself, which continues to host the insects.
The property owner’s response to Keyes’ concerns
According to county records, the neighbouring property has been owned by Mercer Holdings 1 LLC since February, with a related business, Mercer Maintenance LLC, sharing the same address; both trace back to an address on Upton Avenue. Mercer Maintenance’s website advertises tree trimming among its services for rental properties. The maintenance director of the company confirmed he was aware of the property and the tree issue, and said he had spoken with Keyes before, telling the station that Keyes is able to trim the portion of the tree extending onto her own property.
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